Algerian PM claims president's life was 'never in danger'

Bouteflika's whereabouts and health status are currently unknown Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal on Monday broke official silence on the health of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, saying he is convalescing in Paris after a mini-stroke and that his life was "never in danger." "I would like to reassure our compatriots on the state of health of the president of the republic... he was never in danger and his health is improving day by day," Sellal said in a press statement.
"Soon President Bouteflika's illness will be no more than an unpleasant memory," he added in a press statement.
The prime minister disclosed that the Algerian president was conducting governmental business from his residence in France.
Sellal also accused foreign media of trying to undermine Algeria through "false reporting."
"False information carried by certain foreign media concerning the president of the republic serves only to undermine Algerian security and development," he asserted.
Earlier, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Laurent Fabius confirmed Bouteflika was still in France.
Although the French official didn’t reveal any details regarding the specific whereabouts of the president he told French TV channels that the Algerian head of state had not left for Algeria. He did not refer to the current health status of the president.
The location of Bouteflika has been a point of contention in recent weeks, with multiple sources reporting contrasting information.
The Algerian Ministry of Communication recently censored French newspapers that claimed Bouteflika had returned to Algeria as his health is deteriorating. The ministry denied censoring the papers, saying that the publishers had agreed to restrict print due to false information.
Algerian government sources said on Sunday night that the information about the deterioration of Bouteflika’s health is untrue, ordering a judicial investigation against Hishab Aboud the director of publishing for daily newspapers Jaridaty and Mon Journal, for writing false statements.
The news regarding Bouteflika's health is still contentious, with some foreign websites announcing his death, some reporting he is in a coma and other reporting his recovery in Algeria.